Nilotinib is 4-Methyl-3-[[4-(3-pyridinyl)-2-pyrimidinyl]amino]-N-[5-(4-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]benzamide. A particularly useful salt of nilotinib is nilotinib hydrochloride monohydrate. These therapeutic compounds have utility as inhibitors of the protein tyrosine kinase (TK) activity of Bcr-Abl. Examples of conditions that may be treated by such therapeutic compounds include, but are not limited to, chronic myeloid leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
There is a need to formulate nilotinib and the other therapeutic compounds hereinafter disclosed into pharmaceutical compositions, especially solid oral dosage forms, such that the therapeutic benefits of the compounds may be delivered to a patient in need thereof. Posing a challenge resolving this need is the physiochemical properties of such therapeutic compounds. Nilotinib and its salts are poorly water soluble compounds and are difficult to formulate and deliver (i.e., made bioavailable when ingested orally). An object of the present invention is to provide an exemplary solution by making a pharmaceutical composition in the form of a solid oral dosage form that may be ingested by a patient.